


High Heels and Motor Oil

by pumpkinqueene



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, I'll add the relevant tags as the porn happens, Is Lapis really paying Jasper to be her girl?, Rated for future explicit material, Yes she is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 11:43:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6050341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pumpkinqueene/pseuds/pumpkinqueene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jasper’s teenaged sister, Amethyst, gets arrested again, she looks set for a stint in juvie which will surely ruin all future education and career prospects. But Peridot knows someone who  may be able to help: the Assistant Attorney General for Maryland, who agrees to see what she do can for Amethyst. But, in the meantime, she has a proposal of her own…Sugar Mama AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	High Heels and Motor Oil

The silence had remained unbroken for at least five minutes. At first, Amethyst had made all the usual excuses: that it wasn’t her fault, that Jasper was overreacting, and, besides, she just had the bad luck of getting caught while everyone else got away just fine.

“It’s these short legs, J,” she’d insisted, “They never would have cuffed me if I was tall like Garnet,”

Jasper hadn’t spoken yet. That was usually a bad sign. If she was angry, she would shout- but if she was furious, she would glare silently until she exploded like a bomb. This looked like it was about to become scenario two.

“Come on, J,” Amethyst wheedled eventually, “Say something, at least!”

When Jasper looked up at her, she wished she hadn’t spoken. Amethyst’s sister was normally so chill with her that it was easy to forget how terrifying she actually was. At over seven feet tall, she’d be intimidating enough without her massive muscles and perpetual resting bitch face. With them, she was capable of making grown men piss their pants with a single look.

“Do you have _any_ idea how much _shit you are in_?” Jasper said, her voice rising in volume with every word. By the end of her sentence, she was virtually roaring. Amethyst half-expected her to start breathing fire. Still, she was pretty sure Jasper wouldn’t actually slap the shit out of her, so continuing to defend herself seemed like a good idea.

“What’s the big deal?” she asked petulantly, arms folded, “I’ve been in way more trouble than this before. The cops are just gonna give me a caution again,”

Jasper’s bitter, borderline-hysterical laugh raised the hairs on the back of Amethyst’s neck. Suddenly, Amethyst’s confidence seemed misplaced.

“You honestly believe that, don’t you?” Jasper crowed, “Every time you get arrested, nothing will happen. They’ll just give you another fucking caution, and you’ll be joyriding and shit by next week!”

She slammed her fist into the wall, making Amethyst jump. She decided not to comment on the hole voiding their deposit in light of her sister’s anger- particularly since their apartment was in a shoddy brownstone and Jasper just punched a crater in solid brick.

“They want to prosecute, Amethyst!” Jasper yelled, slamming her hands down on the table, “That was the mayor’s fucking car you just totalled! Combined with your track record, you’ll be in juvie in a few months! How do you expect me to pay your legal fees? I’m working two jobs as it is!”

It was only when Jasper sank down into a chair, scrubbing her hands over her face agitatedly, that Amethyst began to feel fear spark in her gut. It had never occurred to her that she would suffer a genuine punishment for her actions. Dicking around, joyriding, sneaking into movies…it all just seemed like harmless fun. She was just being a teenager; young, stupid, reckless, but ultimately harmless. Now her entire future was in jeopardy. If she went down for this, it would be a stain on her record. She could never go to college, and plenty of job opportunities would be lost to her- all because she thought stealing the mayor’s shitty van would be a great way to relieve a Thursday night’s monotony. Her hands were trembling.

“I-Is there anything we can do?” she asked shakily, “I don’t want to go to juvie!”

“The cops said you might have been let off if you didn’t have previous,” Jasper said grimly, “I don’t know. I’m going to have to see if I can talk to someone. Peridot said she can hook me up with the Assistant Attorney General, to see if they’ll go above district level and get you off. I can’t make any promises though,”

It was just like Jasper not to sugarcoat anything. She didn’t believe in bullshitting. She always just came right out and said what she was thinking, regardless of how bad it sounded. Normally, Amethyst found it pretty funny; but right now, she could have used a little more comfort, and a little less tough love.

“Right,” Amethyst nodded jerkily, “But if I do go down, promise you’ll visit me in juvie!”

Just saying that made her feel small and weak. She even regretted asking, just a little. Yet Jasper was all the family Amethyst had left. Sure, she had friends (some of whom she was closer to than she was with her sister), but she’d still feel a lot better about going down if she knew Jasper would be there for her the whole time. She had never felt particularly strong, growing up. When she was feeling particularly sorry for herself, she felt bad about how much she relied on Jasper’s strength. Living in the shadow of her giant sister probably didn’t help with her inferiority complex, but at least she could count on Jasper to always be there for her, even if just to yell at her for being an idiot. She wasn’t sure if she could handle ending up in juvie if she knew Jasper wouldn’t be there to support her anymore.

“I’ll be there every week to yell at you for ruining your stupid life, runt,” Jasper said. That was about as affectionate as she could get; and, besides, when Jasper said she’d do something, she always did it. The word “implacable” was probably specifically invented to describe her. Everyone told her an 18 year old with no job and no apartment could never gain custody of her kid sister. Jasper’s response was to drop out of college, get two jobs and an apartment, and to invite Amethyst to come and live with her just a few months after their parents’ accident. Now 21, Jasper was a mechanic and a boxing instructor- a poor replacement for the successful boxing career she would have had if she had chosen personal ambition over duty, but she never displayed any resentment, so Amethyst tried not to feel guilty over it. If Jasper said she was going to visit, she’d be there like clockwork every week, with a “how you holding up, runt?” on her lips. It was a small comfort, at least.

“Yeah, well, you’d better,” Amethyst glowered, trying to seem like the prospect of juvie didn’t scare her as much as it did.

“Maybe this government lawyer will pull your ass out of the fire,” Jasper offered, “Don’t give up yet. That’s not the Lapana way.”

“That would be great, except I ain’t no Lapana,” Amethyst muttered resentfully, “I’m a Carrera, remember?”

“You’re my sister, so you damn well better get with the Lapana way,” Jasper said. She sounded like she wasn’t completely joking.

“But then I’d have to grow about three feet and start lifting, when I could be eating and sleeping,” Amethyst groaned, “I’ll pass,”

“See, this is why no one believes us when we say we’re related,” Jasper said, rummaging in a cupboard.

“I’m really hot, so it’s got to be hard to imagine me being related to your ugly ass,” Amethyst agreed impishly.

“Yeah, I was going to share this, but I’ve changed my mind,” Jasper said with a vicious smirk, retreating from the cupboard with a large bottle of scotch in hand, “Tough luck, runt,”

“Aww, no fair, J!” Amethyst moaned, “Come on! I’ve had a shitty day, I need a pick me up!”

“You’ve had a shitty day?” Jasper snorted, slamming a couple of glasses on the table, “What about me? I was in the middle of something when I got that call, you know,”

“Poor baby,” Amethyst cooed obnoxiously, cackling at the look on Jasper’s face, “Maybe I’d actually feel sorry for you if you were fucking your student or whatever. But you were probably just doing boring paperwork or some shit. Seriously, you need to get out. Get laid. What’s the point in putting all of that effort into looking like that if you don’t date? Such a damn waste, if you ask me,”

“Well, I didn’t ask you,” Jasper retorted flatly, pouring a generous measure of scotch into one of the glasses, “And I definitely didn’t spend most of my life getting ripped for a cheap fuck. I do it for myself. It’s not as if I have the time to pick up girls, anyway. In case you’re forgetting, I work two jobs- and when I’m not working, I’m dragging my dumbass sister out of shit she can’t handle,”

Amethyst would have protested against that last part if Jasper hadn’t slid a glass over to her at that moment. She could have probably kept shit-talking, at the risk of Jasper taking the scotch back off her; so she decided to cut her losses, talking a deep swallow out of her glass. It wasn’t top-line stuff (they could never afford that), but it was alcohol, and that was all that mattered, as far as Amethyst was concerned. Contrary to what Jasper might say, the prospect of juvie had hit hard enough that Amethyst welcomed the opportunity to get hammered. She knew Jasper would never let her drink that much of the scotch, though.

Moments later, she was proven wrong on that count. Jasper drained her glass and slid the almost full bottle towards Amethyst, who looked at it with suspicion.

“Is this a test?” she asked.

“Go to Garnet’s place,” Jasper suggested, “Cry like a baby and get trashed while I see if I can arrange an appointment with this lawyer. Maybe she’ll give you a shoulder to cry on, because I’m not,”

“Are you giving me, a minor, alcohol…and permission to get drunk with my friends?” Amethyst asked, “Why would you do that?”

“I figured you might as well make the most of your current freedom,” Jasper said bluntly, “You might not have it for much longer anyway,”

Amethyst didn’t know what she’d expected. Loving words and handholding? Empty promises that everything will be OK? That wasn’t Jasper. Then again, it wasn’t Amethyst either. To an outsider, it might have seemed a cold relationship, but they both learnt to read each other years ago. Jasper wasn’t callously telling her to go be irresponsible and weepy, or rubbing her current situation in her face. She was giving Amethyst permission to go and vent to her friends; to go and goof off for possibly the last time before swapping her jeans for an orange jumpsuit. In her own emotionally-repressed way, Jasper was being sympathetic.

Amethyst decided to take the out. Wallowing around their apartment wouldn’t do her any good, but Garnet might be able to offer some encouragement. Even Pearl, stick-in-the-mud though she was, would probably be able to lift Amethyst’s spirits by spouting off legal jargon and trying to Hermione Granger the problem away. Plus, Garnet’s parents were cool as hell. Ruby ran fitness classes and made the best food, while Sapphire was an opera singer who couldn’t cook for shit. It could be good for Amethyst to hang around some friendly faces while she waited for Jasper to sort this mess out.

“Can you make jello shots out of this shit?” Amethyst wondered faux-casually.

“Do I look like the damn internet?” Jasper said, dumping their glasses into the sink, “Go on, get out of here,”

“Alright, fine, sheesh!” Amethyst grumbled. She toed her hi-tops back onto her feet, grabbed her keys, and saluted her sister mockingly before making her way to the door.

“Put a jacket on!” Jasper barked. Amethyst raised her hands in placation and did as she was told with exaggerated motions and a wide, sarcastic grin on her face.

“Love you too, Jazzy,” she said, puncturing her statement with an obnoxious kissy face. She barely managed to get outside before Jasper threw something at her; she heard the dull thud of it hitting the door.

“Alright,” she muttered to the scotch, “Time to get smashed,”

The phone rang five times before Peridot answered.

“What?” she asked bluntly. Jasper would probably be insulted if this wasn’t how Peridot was with everybody. She was the textbook robotics genius, complete with all the social issues you might expect from someone who hunched over code and bits of metal all day. The fact that she’d answered the phone at all basically affirmed her’s and Jasper’s friendship.

“You said you knew this lawyer,” Jasper said.

“She’s a little more than a lawyer, Jasper,” Peridot sighed, “She’s the second highest legal professional in the entire state’s prosecution service,”

“Look, can you hook me up with her or not?” Jasper demanded impatiently, drumming her fingers on the kitchen counter.

“Sure,” Peridot grumbled, “We were in college together- although I was 8 and she was 18, but I used to help her with some of her assignments. She might see you if I ask,”

“Thanks, Peri,” Jasper said fervently.

“Mhm,” Peridot said, “I’ll see if I can arrange something and call you back,”

Once Jasper hung up, she had the immediate urge to hit the gym and beat the hell out of a couple of punching bags, but she knew she couldn’t do that. She’d definitely miss Peridot’s phone call. Plus, she knew she should probably patch up the hole she’d just made in the wall, before the landlord saw it and voided their deposit.

She examined the hole, and decided that she’d just fix the plaster over the top. Nobody would ever know about the hole in the brickwork with just a little studwork, some plasterboard, a good coat of plaster, and a smooth lick of paint. She had most of that stuff in the box of DIY shit she kept under her bed, in case of emergencies such as this one. It may have gone against her personal code to hit people weaker than her, but walls and inanimate objects were always fair game when she was pissed. At this point, she was basically a master of minor repairs.

However, fixing the wall would have to wait. Her phone began ringing just as she was about to go and get the supplies.

“That was fast,” she said, hitting answer, “Hey, Turbo Nerd, did you manage to hook me up with this chick?”

There was a moment of silence before an unfamiliar voice answered.

“Is this Jasper?”

“You’re not Peridot,” Jasper said intelligently. A light, sweet laugh was the response.

“No, I’m not,” the person on the other end agreed, “I’m Lapis Lazuli Kanaloa, Maryland’s Assistant Attorney General. Peridot’s been in touch with me. She says I might be able to help you?”

“Right, uh…Ms Kanaloa,” Jasper said, “Wait, are you married?”

“I’m a single thirty-something,” Ms Kanaloa said wryly, sounding amused, “Call me Lapis,”

“Right,” Jasper agreed, “Lapis. Uh…my kid sister messed up pretty badly last night. She stole the mayor’s van and totalled it-,”

To her surprise, she was cut off by an outbreak of sniggering on the other end of the phone.

“Right, sorry,” Lapis said hastily, “Please continue,”

“Yeah…so she’s got previous,” Jasper explained, “Nothing major; a few joyrides, some petty vandalism, that kind of thing. But the cops say they want it to go to court this time, and she’ll go to juvie if she’s found guilty. I don’t want her life to be ruined. Peridot said you might be able to help,”

“Hmm,” Lapis said slowly, “I might be able to use my influence to get her sentenced to community service. I could even talk to the mayor about terminating the prosecution- you know, couch it as good publicity he could use to connect with more demographics ahead of the election; show how progressive and generous he is. That kind of thing. We need to meet up to discuss this,”

“What?” Jasper said, slightly taken aback, “Yeah, sure. When and where?”

“Come to my office,” Lapis said, “We can go from there,”

She reeled off a pretty impressive-sounding address and told Jasper to meet with her at half past six. Jasper agreed, silently marvelling at Amethyst’s luck and promising to kick her dumb ass if she pulled anymore shit like this. Lapis may have been willing to pull some strings on this occasion, but it was unlikely that she’d offer to do it again. If Amethyst wasn’t on her best behaviour between now and college, Jasper was going to murder her.

Once Jasper hung up the phone, she realised that she couldn’t go to a meeting with some hot-shot lawyer-slash-public official dressed like this. She was still wearing her mechanics’ greasy overalls and oil-stained tank top, her hair piled onto the top of her head in a messy ponytail. She had roughly ten minutes to make herself presentable.

There was nothing to be done about her voluminous hair. She was lucky it wasn’t obviously dirty, and she was able to run a brush through it and pull it into a side-braid which looked intentionally messy. She wasn’t going to be able to forgo a shower, however. She was sweaty and dirty, and smelled strongly of motor oil. A five minute shower was enough for a quick but thorough scrub-down, which left her five minutes to dress and maybe do her make-up if she had time. She hurriedly threw on a new tank top and some jeans, with the cardigan Amethyst had bought for her last birthday. Due to the nature of her working life, Jasper didn’t normally bother wearing anything she didn’t mind getting sweaty or dirty, which is why the cardigan still had its label when she yanked it out of her wardrobe. It just seemed like a good idea to project the image that she was actually trying.

Her ankle boots and a scarf were last minute additions she hoped would help her to achieve the desired effect. But, upon looking in the hall mirror, she realised she was wearing the white girl in Starbucks look, rather than the casually elegant look she’d been aiming for. There was no time to rectify that now. A quick sweep of mascara and a set of perfect eyeliner wings later, she was out the door with her wallet and keys- hopefully on her way to save Amethyst’s ass.

She decided to take her bike. Getting stuck in traffic right now and missing the appointment would be a disaster. She pulled up at twenty five past six, secured her bike, and jogged into the lobby of the fancy building Lapis worked in.

The receptionist was an elderly man who squinted at his computer screen over his glasses as he tapped away at his keyboard. There was no observable queue, so Jasper walked right up to the front desk, ignoring the stares she was getting. Girls her size were a rare breed. That fact, plus her dark Polynesian complexion and shock of natural platinum hair, meant that she was subject to gawking wherever she went. It had ceased to bother her long ago.

“I’ve got an appointment with Lapis Lazuli Kanaloa?” she told the receptionist, “For half past six,”

“Just a moment, love, just a moment,” the receptionist replied in a reedy voice, “Now, what can I do for you, my de- Goodness, you’re a big girl, aren’t you?”

If anyone else pulled that shit, Jasper would immediately cuss them out for being a patronising shit-stain. But this old guy, who was blinking up at her like an owl, seemed genuine enough. If she had a grandpa, she would have liked him to be like this man.

So, instead of yelling at him, she smiled and laughed.

“I deliberately grew this big in case Marvel ever decides to make a She-Hulk film,” she said, “I’m here to see Lapis Lazuli Kanaloa?”

“Ah, yes,” the old man said, turning back to his computer screen, “Can I have a name please?”

“Jasper,” she said, “It’s for half past six today,”

“Here we are,” the old man said triumphantly, “Jasper Lapana. You’ll need to wear this visitors badge and go through screening, I’m afraid,”

“Will that take long?” Jasper asked, taking the badge and pinning it to her tank top, “I’m supposed to be meeting her in a few minutes,”

“Oh no, it shouldn’t take long at all,” the old man smiled, “I’ll just call over the security guard and he’ll scan you quick as a flash,”

Jasper forced herself not to laugh at the look on the security guard’s face when he was told to come and search her. The old receptionist had no such reservations; he chuckled, commenting that it would be difficult to take Jasper down if she turned out to be a maniac. Out of pity, she decided not to mention that she was a boxing instructor when the security guard called over a petrified-looking woman to frisk her. She stayed completely still, wryly reflecting that she was the one who had to let a random girl stick a hand between her legs to check to see if she was smuggling a gun or something.

She was given the all clear, and the poor girl scurried off as fast as she could without running. Jasper checked her phone. It was thirty one minutes past six. She was late.

“Alright, you’re good to go,” the old receptionist smiled, “All the way to the top, last door on your right. You can’t miss it. Oh, and I think I speak for comic book fans everywhere when I say that you would make the perfect She-Hulk, and I will be very disappointed if the role ever comes up and they give it to a skinny girl spray painted green,”

“Thanks,” Jasper said dumbly, somehow feeling unequal to this man’s kind words. She hastily fled the scene and hopped into an empty elevator, hoping it was fast enough to make it to the top floor without too much delay. She’d normally take the stairs, both as a fitness fanatic, and because she was too tall for elevators; but time was running out.

Before she knocked the door clearly labelled as Lapis’ office, she checked her watch again, noting with a frown that she was two minutes late. She hoped that wouldn’t count against her.

She knocked the door firmly and waited, thankful that she was in such incredible shape, or else her rushing about might have caused her to become breathless and sweaty. She checked herself in the polished name plaque on the door just in case. To her relief, she looked like she did when she left the house.

“Come in,” Lapis called.

Jasper seized the polished door handle and pulled, already feeling very out of place due to the mahogany panelling and brass fittings on this door. A door was making her feel like she shouldn’t be here. Well, fuck that noise. She hadn’t gotten to where she was today by hiding herself away out of fear of scrutiny, and she certainly wasn’t going to start now.

The inside of the room was as spacious and ornate as Jasper expected. Behind the desk, there was a massive, lead-pane window flooding the room with late afternoon light; and sitting at the desk was a striking, beautiful woman with a heart-shaped face and deep blue eyes. She was dressed in a cobalt skirt suit, with a white shirt and a pair of the sensible heels Jasper associated with businesswomen. When she looked up from whatever she was doing at her desk, she looked Jasper up and down in a way which was too blatant to be accidental.

“Sorry I’m late,” Jasper apologised quickly, in case this woman was a stickler for that kind of thing.

“I’m sure I can excuse two minutes,” Lapis chuckled, putting down her pen, “Peridot said you were tall, but I didn’t expect you to be this big,”

The strangely informal atmosphere did much to ease Jasper’s trepidation. She was no good at putting on airs, and she was terrible at trying to act prim. Her mother used to castigate her for not being lady-like enough. She was glad Lapis was so approachable, rather than a sour-faced, Ivy League, “Mummy and Daddy got me an internship at the White House” type Jasper had been expecting her to be. Jasper decided she like Lapis. It probably helped that she was extremely easy on the eyes, although Jasper wasn’t about to share that thought.

“Peri,” Jasper sighed, “She always understates my height. I think she gets a kick out of it. People expect me to be like five-ten, tops. Not someone who could headbutt Shaq in the face,”

“Well, you certainly cut an impressive figure,” Lapis remarked, “Did you get held up by security? Go on, sit down,”

“Yeah,” Jasper confirmed, sinking down onto large leather office chair, “Guess they wanted to make sure I didn’t have a gun or something,”

“Maybe they thought you were smuggling a couple of bombs,” Lapis said with a hint of a smirk. Jasper could have sworn Lapis’ eyes flickered down her chest briefly, but passed it off as paranoia. Surely she wouldn’t…and definitely not so obviously. Jasper must have been imagining it.

“I’m all clear,” Jasper shrugged, “So you asked me to meet you in person to talk about my sister?”

“Yes,” Lapis said, pulling something out of a drawer, “I have your sister’s criminal history here, but I’d like you to tell me about her. She’s a person, not a dossier. If you give me enough sympathetic anecdotes, I’ll probably be able to get the prosecution terminated,”

She laid the manila folder on her desk. A mugshot of Amethyst was pinned to it, grinning cheekily at the camera despite her obvious black eye. The folder was depressingly thick.

“She’s a terror,” Jasper admitted, “But she’s not too bad. She does OK at school. She’s not on the honour roll or anything, but she gets decent grades and plays for the volleyball team. It’s outside school where her behaviour causes a problem. You know what she’s done from the file- but she’s never violent. I think she’s just acting out. She has low self-esteem, and I think she’s gotten it into her head that she’s a burden or something, because I ended my career to look after her when our parents died. She’s a good kid. She just has a “fuck everything” mentality sometimes,”

“Hmm,” Lapis said, “I have one instance of physical violence recorded here, dated 21st April last year. She was involved in a street fight and came away far better than her opponent. That could count against her,”

“He said our parents died as punishment for me being a dyke,” Jasper said bluntly, “So you can probably understand why she lost her shit,”

“Oh, I can definitely put a positive spin on that,” Lapis said grimly, “Firmly off the record, I fully approve of punching homophobes in the face. However, I’m thinking something more along the lines of…incorporating this incident into a story of personal bereavement. A young girl who lashed out when someone dared to insult her deceased parents, and her only living relative- her sister who gave up everything to raise her. And, of course, we can factor in the nature of his insult. The Mayor will lap it up. Everyone’s seen Lilo and Stitch,”

“That might be applicable if I was Hawaiian,” Jasper said. Still, she was impressed by how effortlessly Lapis manipulated a violent physical attack into something which could rationally be interpreted as a sympathetic narrative by the Mayor. It was no wonder she was such a high ranking member of the prosecution service.

“Aww, really?” Lapis said, crestfallen, “I thought, because of the name…I don’t know any Hawaiians other than me,”

“I’m Polynesian,” Jasper said quickly, “A hundred per cent Samoan. My parents came here when I was four, and then my Dad died basically immediately. Then my Mom started dating this Guatemalan guy she met at bingo and Amethyst was born, so that’s why we have different surnames. They died three years ago. That’s why I’ve got custody,”

She didn’t know why she was telling Lapis this. It wasn’t like she and Amethyst ever talked about it, despite their shared emotional baggage. Then again, maybe that was the point. Their parents were still a raw topic that neither of them wanted to poke at, but talking to a comparative stranger held an aspect of emotional liberation. She could be frank without disclosing more or less than she wanted to, and she didn’t need to worry about Amethyst’s reactions.

“This is all great,” Lapis said, scribbling fervently in a notebook “I mean, the fact that you’re Samoan is awesome, but additionally, this is stuff I can use to appeal to the Mayor. OK, so tell me about your sister. Her likes, dislikes, hobbies, friends- that kind of thing,”

“She likes purple,” Jasper said slowly, “Uhm…that probably sounds weird, but everything has to be purple. Her bedroom, her clothes; she even died her hair lilac. She’s a real foodie. She likes sleeping a lot. Uh…she’s really into comic books. Her favourite superhero is Miss America. She’s pretty popular, but she really only has two close friends, Garnet and Pearl. I already said she plays for the volleyball team, didn’t I? She wants to go to college, but she hasn’t decided what she wants to study yet. She hates a lot of things, really. She’s an angry kid sometimes. Obviously, she’s not a fan of racists, sexists, homophobes…anyone who discriminates, basically. She hates early mornings, and that powder in the bottom of the cereal box; socks with sandals, that smell money leaves on your hands…OK, this is getting oddly specific, so I’m going to stop. I’m not sure if any of this is going to help you,”

“Trust me, the best thing I can do for her is write a big sob story with her as the main character, and present it to the Mayor,” Lapis laughed, “I have to say, she’s lucky to have someone who would go so far for her. Many parents and guardians would tell her it was her own fault,”

“It was her own fault,” Jasper scowled, “And I told her dumb ass that, too. But I want her to go to college and have a good life. I don’t think her entire life should be fucked up because she made a mistake when she was 16- not when she hasn’t hurt anyone,”

“Very good answer,” Lapis said approvingly, “Oh, is that really the time?”

Jasper glanced at the clock on the wall, which claimed that it was just past seven. She still had time for the Netflix binge she’d planned, since it was Saturday tomorrow. Amethyst would probably stay over at Garnet’s, so Jasper didn’t have to worry about making dinner for her; and as for herself, she’d probably see what veggies she had left from the farmer’s market. She had some chicken in the fridge, too. Maybe a stir fry? That seemed healthy enough to counteract the effects of the chocolate she planned on buying on the way home, which she definitely thought she deserved after the day she’d had. She could eat it in her underwear in front of the TV.

Evening plans made, and without anything more to say, Jasper decided it was time to leave.

“Thanks for the help,” she said, standing up, “I don’t know why you want to help me, but Peridot recommended you, so I believe you. When will I hear from you?”

“Oh, it shouldn’t be too long,” Lapis said breezily, “I have the Mayor on speed dial, you know. It pays to be well-connected, even with people you don’t particularly like. In the meantime, how about dinner? My treat,”

“Dinner?” Jasper asked. She thought of her plans for the night: Netflix in her underwear with a stir fry and chocolate. It was an extremely appealing prospect. Then she looked at Lapis, the beautiful woman who may or may not be into girls- and Jasper would never know if she didn’t accept this offer. Sure, she never had the time to date, but if there was a possibility of a one-night stand on the table, she wasn’t going to pass it up. Also, free food was always good.

“OK, sure,” she said.

“Perfect,” Lapis smiled. She quickly began stuffing papers into her briefcase, chattering away all the while.

“I know a great place. It serves the best food; real hearty stuff you want to eat in the fall, you know? Not like those ritzy places where they charge thirty dollars for soup. And the desserts are incredible,”

She slung her handbag over her shoulder, grabbed her umbrella and peacoat, and nodded towards the door.

“Shall we go?” she asked.

“Sure,” Jasper said, “Only I came here on my bike and I don’t want to leave it-,”

“We’ll ride on that, then,” Lapis said, missing the point, “Do you have an extra helmet?”

“Yeah, in case Amethyst wants to hop on,” Jasper said, “What about your car?”

“Oh, Peridot dropped me off this morning on her way to the lab,” Lapis said, drawing up level with Jasper. Even in two inch heels, she still only came up to Jasper’s chest. Her petite stature was somehow extremely endearing.

Lapis gave her directions to the restaurant while they were in the elevator, and had her relay them back to make sure she had them memorised. On their way out, they passed the old receptionist, who called out “Come back soon, Jennifer” to Lapis’ confusion and Jasper’s amusement. Jasper gave him two thumbs up to show she’d heard, deciding that he was now one of her favourite people.

“Jennifer Walters,” Jasper explained as they stepped out into the chilly evening air, “She-Hulk,”

“Ah!” Lapis said, “OK, I get it. I’d definitely have a poster of you in my room,”

“Uh,” Jasper replied intelligently. She wondered how Lapis could be so flippant and forward- or perhaps her comment was an innocent one. Many young girls had posters of comic book characters in their rooms. Hell, it wasn’t unusual for girls to compliment each other’s appearances without there being any gay motives. Lapis could say “wow, nice ass”, and Jasper would still be wondering if she meant it in a friend way or a lesbian way. Why was it so hard to tell if a girl was gay and into you?

When they reached the bike, Jasper tossed Lapis the spare helmet and jammed her own on her head. She shrugged on her leather jacket and swung her leg over, gesturing for Lapis to hop on the back. Lapis’ outfit initially proved an inconvenience, but she eventually managed the struggle on by yanking her skirt up to her upper thighs to expose the top of her stockings. Jasper hastily looked away. She thought it couldn’t get any worse- but then Lapis wound her arms around Jasper’s waist.

“Wow,” Lapis said, palming Jasper’s belly through her tank top, “These are some incredible abs,”

“Thanks,” Jasper said, hands clenching around the handles, “I did them myself,”

She started up the bike, but she still heard Lapis’ laugh over the loud rumble of engine.

“Hold tight,” Jasper warned.

She got them there in less than ten minutes. The restaurant was one of those fake Tudor buildings; a solid, black beam construction with white walls and lead-paned windows. It looked more like a tavern than a restaurant, but Jasper could see the appeal. The windows threw warm, golden light across the frosty cobblestones, and laughter spilled out of the doors whenever a shadowy figure emerged. It was…cosy.

“No reservations needed,” Lapis said, fixing her hair in a compact mirror, “We order at the bar and sit down in a booth. They’ll bring the food over when it’s ready,”

The slipped quietly inside, immediately drawing the stares of every patron in the observable vicinity. Jasper knew she was the subject of scrutiny, as always. Fortunately, Lapis didn’t appear to care. She gave no outward sign of caring, anyway. They ordered their food from a cheerful barmaid and found a cosy booth towards the back, which had a great view of the street beyond.

“So,” Lapis said after they’d sat down, “I hear you could have been a pro boxer,”

“I’m still more than good enough to be pro,” Jasper said, not caring that she sounded conceited, “I just don’t have the time or money to break out. I teach classes instead,”

“Is that why you’re so…?”

“Beefy?” Jasper finished for her, “Basically. I hit the gym every day before work, and my jobs are hard and physical. I’m a mechanic too,”

“Are you telling me that you spend half your working life wearing a sports bra while punching things, and the other half bent over car engines with engine grease on your face?” Lapis asked slowly. Her expression was unfathomable.

“I guess,” Jasper admitted warily.

“Right,” Lapis muttered, seemingly to herself, “OK. That settles it. I have a proposition for you,”

Jasper took her time to mull this over, disguising her hesitation by draining a glassful of the complimentary iced water the barmaid brought over when she seated them.

“Let’s hear it,” she said finally, keeping her voice and steady as she could. She had to resist the urge to fold her arms defensively, or else Lapis would know that she was worried about this strange turn of events.

“I’ll start by making it completely clear that you can back out any time you want,” Lapis said in a brisk, business-like tone, “And I’m aware that the arrangement I’m proposing is considered unorthodox, and I could be ruined if the wrong people found out, so I’ll have to ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement if you accept my offer,”

“Alright, sure,” Jasper said, rolling her glass between her fingers, “So what’s this offer?”

“Have you ever heard the term “Sugar Daddy”?” Lapis asked.

“Yes,” Jasper said slowly, “What’s that got to do with me?”

“Because that’s the arrangement I’m proposing,” Lapis said, taking a delicate sip from her own glass, “You date me and do what I ask (within reason and the realms of our mutual personal comfort), and I give you money,”

Jasper opened her mouth to respond and shut it again.

“You want to know why?” Lapis guessed with an amused smile, “That’s reasonable, I suppose. It sounds strange, doesn’t it?”

“I could date you for free,” Jasper managed to say, her mind still reeling from the unreality of her situation.

“But I want to pay you,” Lapis said, “I’m a wealthy woman, Jasper. In addition to occupying a high-ranking position in the state prosecution office, I have businesses and stocks all over the western world. I mainly own vacation resorts. But all of this money has come at a price: my freedom. Don’t misunderstand; I wouldn’t do my job if I didn’t like it. But I spend a lot of time feeling trapped, as if my time and talents aren’t my own. Why do I want to pay you to date me, despite your willingness to do so without payment?”

Jasper nodded silently.

“I want to own you,” Lapis said, as if that was a perfectly normal thing to say to a woman she had met just today, in the middle of a quaint restaurant over dinner, “I want to control you- within reason, of course. I won’t make you do anything which you find discomforting or objectionable. You see, if I pay you, you’re indebted to me, and I’m in control of you,”

“So you’re a femdom?” Jasper asked numbly. Lapis laughed.

“That’s an aspect of it, I suppose,” she reflected, “But I want to be much more than that. As I’ve said, you can back out whenever you want- or refuse outright. The relationship wouldn’t be entirely sexual. I would expect coffee dates and phone calls, of course. But you have to submit to my authority unless you feel uncomfortable. Is this acceptable?”

“So you…want to be my…Sugar…Mama?” Jasper asked haltingly.

“That’s about the shape of it,” Lapis hummed, “What do you think?”

There was a single droplet of condensation creeping down the side of the water jug. Jasper followed its path with her eyes as she reflected on what Lapis was asking of her. Getting paid to be in a relationship with a beautiful woman seemed like the dream life, as far as Jasper was concerned. The biggest issue would be her problem with submitting to authority. Jasper was prideful, and her strong personality, coupled with her huge physique, meant that she was normally the most dominant presence in the room. Still, she was sure she could surmount this minor obstacle in light of the rich rewards she would receive for having done so.

“You, like…get off on it, yeah? And you’ll still help Amethyst, even if I say no?” she asked, hoping she hadn’t misinterpreted Lapis’ motivations, “Wait, does Peridot know about this habit of your’s?”

“Yes on all three counts,” Lapis said, “You came with her full recommendations,”

Jasper nodded.

“Alright then,” she shrugged, “I’m in,”


End file.
